Private Momento

[Bright4]

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O B J E C T I V E: RETRIEVE THE ITEM​

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Location: Felucia, Unknown Coordinates.​

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Kadan knew this whole plan was stupid, which was exactly why he wanted to come alone. Unfortunately, the force didn't care how he wanted things done. He hadn't come alone. Thankfully, the N-Wing infiltrator was designed for two in mind, which was the only reason Aayla was permitted to tag along. Climbing out of the cockpit, he immediately opened the cargo pod, and began to get out the equipment they would need for this heist. It wasn't going to be easy, and they needed to be in and our, fast. The pair were deep in Sith territory, and only the most precise of hyperspace jumps had even allowed them to get this far. Truth be told, he didn't think they'd have much longer to prepare.​

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The reason they had come here however, was exceptionally important to the Mandalorian, for there was something critical from his past that needed to be uncovered. His mothers combat mask. He had spent so long looking for a hint of what might have befallen it, but some info from the Eternal Empire indicated it was housed here, locked up in the vault of some Sith Lord as a decoration. The mere idea of his mother's image being used as some decorative art piece infuriated him to such a degree, he found himself unable to be rational when thinking of it. So he didn't looking only to get their gear, and begin setting out for this vault, not knowing if or when the Sith would discover their landing. Hopefully, they'd be able to avoid detection for a few hours more. Clad in light combat armor, blaster strapped to his hip, and saber hanging on his belt, Kadan was prepared to get a move on, as he finished equipping himself, and looked to Aayla, the wild shifting of emotions no longer held in check, as it would flow towards her like a river via their connection, though it soon cut itself off as Kadan steeled himself. Regardless, she would be able to feel his anger, nervousness, and concern over what laid ahead. This clearly meant something to him, and for that, she had earned his gratitude even though he disliked her being put at risk.​

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"We need to get moving, I don't know if I tricked all of their scanning gear on the way in, but if we stay here longer than a die they'd be able to track the ion trails we left from reentry." He was probably being over cautious, even Sith wouldn't be so through on a seemingly pointless world like Felucia. Kadan turned towards the north, ready and geared up, as the pair had a rather long winding river to follow, and hopefully no rancors to meet them along the way.​

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They were in this together however, and that was of a small comfort for the padawan at current. He wouldn't have to deal with this alone.​

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Aayla Shan​

 

[Aayla Shan]

And indeed, here she was tagging along some borderline suicidal mission with Kadan. When he explained what it entailed, she had laughed at him initially; then he explained the why, and she had become stoic and gave him a nod of approval. He didn't need to explain anymore. She just wished at the time it wasn't so soon after their last outing... He remembered, the one where they almost killed each other? Aayla sat in the passenger seat as he flew, out like a light. Seat reclined, head back, mouth ajar and chopping trees so to speak. Her head canted away from him, she dreamed good dreams. Mumbling to herself every now and then.


It was that emotion that flowed from him that caused her to snap too. Head moving first, and glancing over to him briefly... Had she been snoring? That would've been embarrassing. Irrelevant... She looked out the viewports, and shuddered herself into a good stretch. Yawning and contorting lightly. With that, she unclipped her safety belt and assisted him in shutting down the ship. Glancing about herself and getting a refresher tablet from her pouch. Swashing it around with some water, she felt the bubbly concoction cleaning her teeth, and tongue and would hop up on the ships canopy before spitting it all on the ground outside, wiping her mouth with her sleeve.

"Who are you tellin' If any of the Masters knew we came here for something like this... My butt is back on house arrest."

She said, sitting atop the canopy and watching him for a moment. Still feeling his emotions clear as if they were her own. She quieted her own with ease, and tried to allow that calming feeling to wash back to him.

"That being said, make sure you know exactly what you want from this... We're on a Sith planet Kadan; this isn't the time to be confused about our emotions. You know what I'm talking about right?"

Aayla warned, and of course Kadan knew. They just recently had some decrepit Sith Lord trying to pit them against each other. That was nothing compared to what could happen if they were found out here. They were able bodied Jedi, the Sith probably wouldn't kill them outright... There would probably be torture involved, for various reasons.

In any case, with a path laid out before them, and their objectives clear, she would slide from that canopy. Once her boots hit earth, Aayla straightened and moved with purpose, watching her step as they trekked onwards. Not to mention keeping her head on a swivel for anything that may be in plain sight; allowing her own signature in the Force to fade into concealment. The last thing she needed was to be a shining beacon of light in a place tainted by such darkness.

 

[Bright4]

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ON THE TRAIL​

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Aayla had to take several moments to prepare herself, understandable, given the power nap she had snuck in on the way in. He kept the details about her sleeping habits to himself however, would be something to poke fun at when he was in a better mood. Right now however, he had much that needed to be done. He was effectively gambling with their lives after all. She asked who he was talking to, and he felt a bit amused by her reaction. He thought it was obvious. He drew some water from his canteen, quenching his dry throat, before he responded. "Honestly, I'm talking to myself so I don't get us into a worse mess. It helps me keep it all together." There was a brief pause as he glanced back to her, his eyebrow raised with a hint of curiosity. "And what do you back on house arrest? I must have missed that tidbit." He was nervous beneath it all, but she probably knew that. Just like how he knew there would be a comment about his emotions right now.​

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And there it was. A sigh drew from his lips, his shoulders heaving, as he knew she was right. His presence in the force diminished, their connection shrinking to a mere thread now. There was a time and a place for such feelings, but this wasn't it. They were on a world that not only wanted to kill them, but it was controlled by people who actively were looking to kill them. Not an ideal situation at all. He didn't even want to think the fate that awaited them if they were captured. It wouldn't be a good time for either of them. "I know. I'll keep my head on straight, I promise. We won't have a repeat of that last encounter." That much he was certain of. Once Aayla hit the ground, Kadan locked up the ship, leaving their ride behind as they began to trek up the river, not entirely sure as to what they would encounter. His senses were on high alert, though he wasn't entirely sure what to be on the look for.​

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The alien landscape of Felucia was not at all pleasant, and though the Sith presence seemed to be minimum at current, the true dangers came from the wild life here. As the pair continued along their route, one of the native Acklay of the world called this river it's home. As the pair moved along, three beady eyes watched from the water, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Aayla Shan​

 

[Aayla Shan]

She noted his remission from her. Her words had damaged the connection she had felt between them somewhat, but she didn't have time to care about that. As long as he knew it came from a good place. If the Sith caught up, and somehow captured them... She resolved to kill herself before letting them have their way. She wouldn't be turned into some mindless machination of theirs. No Fethin way. In any case, as she walked, she would glance over to him; wanting to change the topic from dreary, and morbid. They would be okay, and the mission would go as planned. That was how she should've looked at it.

"Oh, you didn't know? Kark, before you met me I was on house arrest for a little over a year... Failure to adhere to the structure of command, I think was the official wording... Masters Sakadi, Or'Fol, Ilwynog, and Caltin cleared me to be back in the field. Which is precisely why this never happened, and also why you're gonna keep your trap shut about it."

She warned, and meant it. She would be highly disappointed if he let this out, to say the least. The last thing she wanted was to be caught running saber drills, and meditation for the younglings for another full cycle. She was still smirking about that when she slowed to a stop, raising a hand for him to follow as her eyes scanned the area in front of them. Her free hand moving to pull her saber from her thigh; clipped a little lower than usual today.

"Something isn't right..."

 

[Bright4]

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HUNTED​

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Their bond was still uncharted territory for the both of them, neither knew what or how it worked, only that it was there, and sometimes it could be a bit awkward. Accidentally feeling emotions broadcasted by another was just unusual. It also seemed to flare up and decrease based on how they centered themselves, which only made things even more confusing. He could feel his bond with her shrink, but said nothing. It would return at an inconvenient time he was certain of that.

She explained her ordeal about house arrest, something he found a bit amusing given the nature of trouble their last adventure had gotten them into. A whole year of training younglings sounded rather annoying to put up with, which made him wonder why he himself hadn't gotten into trouble for such ordeals. Perhaps he was just lucky to tick off the right masters. Her picked up on the seriousness of her tone, which saw a small smile come across his features. Yet another thing to prod her with. "Your secret is safe with me Aayla, you should know that." He assured, wondering just how much hell she must have raised in the past. They must have been the most difficult set of padawans in the order if he had the right details to follow.

His mind strayed for a moment, but he soon felt something off, it was too quiet, there was a gentle bubbling from the river had stopped. He wasn't the only one that noticed, his hand already taking hold of his saber, as he heard Aayla speak. "I feel it too, almo-." Kadan didn't get to finish. There was a surge of malevolence that pulsated from the water, as two large claws lashed out from the water, stabbing into the muddy shore, as the large bony head creature emerged, roaring out a challenge, as it began to pull itself from the water, intent on making a meal of the two padawans.

Kadan's saber ignited, the padawan narrowly rolling out of the way of the first stab. This didn't last for long however, as once he rose, he felt the force attempt to warn him, as turning around, he was swiped into the water, his saber flying from his grasp as it tumbled into the water.

He hit the water hard, feeling his body ache from the impact, and briefly having a moment to ponder the situation to himself.

Why do they always aim for me first?

Aayla Shan ​

 

[Aayla Shan]

It had damn well better been safe with him, she was sticking herself out there for him, in more ways than one. Though, as she stared at the water, she felt it then, mere seconds before the Acklay breached the waters surface, she had already begun defensive

maneuvers. She didn't want this thing to give them up, and knew with it roaring as it was, and generally trying to kill them it wouldn't end well. She loosened her hiding in the Force, and instead settled into Force Valor, easily dodging the creatures swipe, and going under, spinning into what you could consider to be its guard and jumping in the air with speed; a single swipe of her saber given even while upside down landed with lethal efficiency.


As she landed on its back, half of its neck, and attached head hit the ground unmoving. She gripped onto its back, riding the still spasming corpse to the ground. Exhaling once as she deactivated her saber. Once she was convinced the threat had abated, she glanced over to Kadan, smirking as he was now drenched in water.

"You having fun there Padawan? Don't get me wrong, I like a good swim too, but this may not be the time."

Aayla jabbed at him, looking at her own leg to clip her saber back on properly, and gauging the distance to jump safely back to the shore. Landing on both feet, she would place her hands on her waist, and look around, as if trying to spot any additional threats. Nothing in sight, and as such she relinquished the Force Valor, and again made effort to mask her signature in the Force. It was becoming effortless at this point, but she knew she could do better. Maybe even use the two techniques concurrently before long. With Master Dragovalor teaching her, the possibilities were endless. In any case, she did glance back to Kadan, observing his movements to glean whether or not he had sustained any damage.

The second one of them suffered an immobilizing blow, or one that seemed to impair their mobility, she would call this off, and hope he listened, but from what she could tell they were fine for now. Maybe it would be better to keep some distance from the water however. As such, she would go ahead of him, keeping a good distance away from the riverside, but also not breaking the cover of the depression they walked in. She didn't go far however, aware he had to find his lightsaber... And his pride, somewhere in the river.

Taking her time, she pressed on, and if she got too far she would stop doing something that was natural to her. Reconnaissance.​

 

[Bright4]

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WHAT A MESS​

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Kadan didn't stay down for long, the padawan knew well enough that Aayla needed help, and immediately began his swim back to shore. As he broke the waterline though, he found the scene quite a bit different than how he believed it to be. Aayla stood victorious, landing rather stylishly on the ground, leaving the body of the creature twitching in the mud. She didn't need him at all. His mood deflated, his cheeks the faintest bit of red as he swam to shore, taking Aayla's jabs as they came. "I was just making sure there weren't any more." He fired back, pulling himself to land, as he began his search for his lightsaber. "Think that one was the only one here." He said, not entirely sure if it was true, but for both of their sakes he hoped so.​

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Aayla was pretty good, and he wasn't so bad either, but a pack of those creatures would be trouble. Reaching out his hand, he felt for his lightsaber crystal, and summoned it back to him, catching Aayla moving on ahead, probably to comb out the area further. He gave up entirely on drying out his clothes, his attire would never dry in this humid place, so he would just have to endure it. With all the discomfort that came along with it. Clipping his saber into his belt, he pushed his wet hair back into something somewhat presentable, and followed after her.​

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As Aayla crept forward, she would feel several life forms up above, many life forms actually, almost like an eco system of life that pulsated beneath her feet. What could it be?​

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The answer wasn't what she had expected.​

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A large hole in the ground sat, and around it was a disturbing image. The withered and dead tendrils of a Sarlaac beast sat unmoving, long since dead. It wasn't alone however. Several battle droids swept the area, at first glance seeming to be Mandalorians, but the movements were too stiff. It seemed that these droids were guarding this area, but why?​

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As Aayla sat there, she could movement under the ground, human sized life dwelt under the pairs feet, perhaps within the hole that the dead Sarlaac now dwelt in. As she watch, a pair of Sith scouts sped into the clearing, their bikes moving past the droids, and disappearing right into the hole as they seemed entirely unphased by the act.​

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The vault was inside a Sarlaac?​

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Kadan would be on his way to meet her, attempting to be stealthy as he could feel the multiple life signs that he could feel up ahead.​

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He was going to owe her big time for this​

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Aayla Shan​

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[Aayla Shan]

Why was she looking at a Sarlaac pit? She maintained a low profile, hugging what cover she could as she observed the scene in front of them. She thought they were taking his Mother's mask from a lone individual who was using it as a trophy. This was sure as hell starting to look like a Sith base... A Sith base in a Sarlaac pit... Aayla turned, glaring at him briefly.

"Old Sith Guys armory huh... There are patrols here Kadan, and at least two Sith inside; I feel more life below. If we continue there's no way to get past all these droids without a fight. We can do that, sure... There's no guarantee that our cover wont be blown after that though. And I'm telling you if they call reinforcements we're screwed...

She gave her tactical assessment of the situation, gray hues piercing him for a moment before snapping back to the scene before them. The droids as well, were a mystery, and oddity to her. The looked like Mandalorians, but were obviously not registering within the Force. She had no idea how they would take a lightsaber strike. Head dipping, the fingers of her left hand covered her face as she thought about what to do.

"I can make a distraction, and give you time to get in... Lose them, and regroup with you... Or, we could both attack them head on, and try to bully out way inside... O-.. Well, there may be another option. If we could jump those Sith, we might be able to take their robes and pretend our way inside. What do you think?"

She asked him, dressing back from their vantage point, and laying back in their cover. Her fingers interlaced as she relaxed, resting over her stomach; watching him with interest. In the end, this was his show, she was only there to support. All she knew for sure was that he wasn't going to want to come this far to back down now.

 

[Bright4]

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CHANGE OF PLANS​

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When Kadan saw what he had brought them to, the padawan's face dropped. "Sith spit...this is not happening..." Still dripping wet, he wondered if he would be frozen solid by the icey glare that Aayla was hitting him with right now. His intel never mentioned this! He briefly looked to his datapad, trying to think that perhaps he had it wrong. He found much to his frustration, he was not. This was indeed the site. What kind of nutcase builds a base in the middle of a Sarlaac? "My info didn't mention this, I thought this was just some vault..." He muttered, stowing the datapad and trying to think how they could go about this. Aayla already offered several suggestions, neither of which were exactly great, but it was better than nothing. He let out a sigh, feeling guilty for having dragged her into this. "I'm sorry for bringing you here. This wasn't at all like I thought it to be." He said, but apologies weren't going to matter much right now. They were here, and the situation needed to be dealt with. One thing was certain though, he wasn't letting Aayla serve as a distraction. She was already risking herself enough as it was being here.​

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After mulling it over for a moment, Kadan decided on the infiltration route being their best bet. Force only knew how many reinforcements there could possibly be in the surrounding area. "I think we can take the two Sith and slip in. We get in and out, no funny business." Reaching out, he could feel the two dark presences moving towards them, moving towards, exceptionally close to where the pair knelt. There was an access hatch nearby, there had to be. "They're coming towards us, probably should get ready to jump them." He advised, rising up and inching back to hide behind one of the odd plants in the area.​

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The Sith would indeed arrive, a rock collum that jutted out of the ground hissed open, the frame of a turbolift door clearly worked into it, as two acolytes stepped off, and cast a glance around. "I am telling you, I sensed something." One of the spoke, stepping off and moving towards the pair, seemingly unaware. His companion on the other hand seemed less than pleased. "The only thing I sense, is your brain cells dying you daft fool." The lead Sith shot his friend a dirty look, bit continued on, neither seemed to notice the two jedi however.​

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Speaking through the force, Kadan reached out to Aayla, as he took his sights on the Sith to the rear. On your signal. His voice came, calm and focused, as he remained fixated on the target.​

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When Aayla gave the word, he would act, and if all things worked out, his acolyte of choice would be struck dead on by a rock just off to his right, ideally rendered unconscious by the effort.​

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Hopefully this was the last snag they'd experience in this adventure. Though he doubted Aayla would be willing to adventure with him again after this.​

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He wouldn't blame her if that was the case.​

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Aayla Shan​

 

[Bright3]

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A FINE ADDITION TO MY COLLECTION​

Location: Bridge of the Crimson Dawn.​

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Silence reigned over the bridge, as the bridge officers knew better to cross the path of their commander. A lone form stood at the front of the bridge, red eyes glaring into the empty void of hyperspace. Darth Levo was a busy man, his work in breaking Mandalorians often kept him away from his collection, something he was looking to update in due time. His armor set would do nicely with the stuffed body of a particular Clan Ordo member placed inside. The armor of one Azula Ordo was in the process of being refurbished, and with the new beskar scraps he had pried from his last 'victim', he was eager to reassemble his collection. "Captain." His voice broke the silence of the bridge, a choking wheezing sound, accompanied by the hiss of his breathing apparatus. It made him sound weak, feeble, but it was merely an act. Only a damn fool would think other wise. At the mere mention of his title, the ship's captain broke into a brisk run, making it across the bridge in record time. "Y-Yes my lord?" The man panted, half out of fear, the other out of having ran his heart out to not irritate his master. "The course to Felucia, we should have been there by now should we not? Explain yourself." He wheezed, his head slowly turning, the glint of his red eyes causing the Sith Captain to tremble. "We had to alter the course my Lord, protocol on behalf of the Emperor, we can get th-" The man's words were cut off, as the firm hand of Levo was clenched around his throat, lifting him aloft in the air. "I tire of the excuses captain. Tell me, how long until we arrive?" He asked, turning his gaze back towards the blue distortion of hyperspace.​

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The captain gasped for air, clutching at the armored glove of the Darth, but Levo did not flinch, continuing the slow strangle hold he had on the man. He realized he needed to act, and rasped out what few words he could. "T-Ten minutes, t-ten minin-" At that, he was released, Levo giving him no more attention. "As you were captain, I have no need for corpses at the helm this day." The Darth spoke, letting the silence take over the bridge once more, as his captain scampered away from the irritated lord. It was times like this that he desired having an apprentice again, the last one was far more...proper and straight to the point. Unlike these lesser non force users.​

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He would need to wait a few more minutes before he could partake in his hobby, and that was all he could do about it. How marvelous that armor would look within his halls however, yes, he was relishing the idea of seeing it remade.​

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He couldn't have Azula, but he could have that which she had put so much of herself into. He might not have her life, but he had her soul.​

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He smiled at the thought, his face a distorted nightmare of flesh and metal.​

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He would find her once more, and there would be no escape.​

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That much he would make sure.

Aayla Shan Bright4​

 

[Aayla Shan]

It was hard to describe how entirely Fethed up this had become within the last thirty minutes. She was still laying back, listening to Kadan while closing her eyes to think about their situation. The last thing she wanted was to get captured. Then again, what the hell was her problem today? Hadn't she been scampering around the order, begging for anyone that would lend an ear to further her training as a Shadow? This was what they did wasn't it? Break into Sith vaults just like this one to destroy Sith artifacts and the like? Combat the Sith whether abroad, or at home? This wasn't a bad plan... This was training.

She would lean up then, getting to a crouching position as he noted he felt someone coming. The sound of a secret passageway being utilized. That connection between them would have been revitalized from her end. Feeling out for him in the Force; trying to mesh with what it was he wanted. He intended to knock one out cold with one of the nearby boulders... That might've killed him Kadan, which was fine, but.. Sheesh. Maybe he was right though. A pang of adrenaline touched her. She didn't offer a word in response, but would signal him to go first; as that boulder knocked the one clean off of their feet, she would have rolled mere feet away from the other

"Yo!"

She stated, bringing up a hellish uppercut that seemed to come from below the ground itself, allowing the Sith to turn into a hit that knocked him clean off of his feet, causing his the tips of his feet to hit the dirt at the back of his head in unison. She stepped over, adopting what would have been a full mount had she decided to mount him, raising her hand again; noting he was out cold... Hell, was he dead? No, but he wasn't going to be moving anytime soon. She glanced behind herself, and started dragging the Acolyte closer to the hidden passageway to undress him.

Within moments, she would have been redressed as a Sith Acolyte; the robes a little big on her, but perfect as the hood did a good job of hiding her features near completely from view.

"Why is it every time I go somewhere with you, we're surrounded by the Dark Side?"

She mumbled from within the robes, pulling on some black gloves, and leaving the pair there in their underwear. With that, she made a motion to the rock-face, now that she knew the passage was there it was easy to manipulate the doorway, and beyond that get aboard the lift that lead down into the depths below.

Bright3 Bright4

 

[Bright4]

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UNDER COVER​

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Kadan's blow struck, and the acolyte toppled over just as he hoped. Aayla subdued her foe in a similar manner; swiftly and precisely. He moved from his concealment, taking the body and ensuring he was no where in Aayla's line of sight as he changed into the new attire. It was nice to have some new clothes at first, especially dry clothes, but the tunic of his acolyte was far too tight around his arms. Were they starving people back on Korriban or something? It made him wonder however, that there had to be an easier way, to use the force to slip past his foes. Yet he lacked the know how to do so. This called for a further excursion into the archives once he returned. Still, clad in poorly tailored clothing and robes, he appeared, looking rather unhappy with his current get up. He glanced to Aayla, snickering as she hid her face under the cowl, before mimicking her in the same fashion. "Honestly, would you want it any other way? It'll make us better knights in the future if nothing else." He commented, joining her in the turbo lift as she motioned the door open.​

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They stood in silence, their connection giving Aayla insight into how Kadan was feeling at current. Nervous mostly, and given the whole 'infiltrating a Sith Base' thing they had going on, it was understandable. There was alot riding on this, and if he slipped it up, it wouldn't just be himself that would take the hit. Aayla would too.​

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As the lift touched down, the door hissed open, and the pair were meet with a rather disturbing sight. The corridor ahead was more of a fleshy hallway, with metal scaffolding held from unseen wire supports, and the glow of several terminals up ahead. If the pair moved closer, they would see this base was odd. The base had been built within the hallowed out remains of a Sarlaac pit. Several metal platforms were arranged about the pit, looking more akin to a prison facility rather than a military base. Several Sith soldiers patrolled the walkways up ahead, though several metal platforms seemingly went off in several different directions. Truthfully, Kadan had no idea where the vault might be, but he had to try and find it.
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No one seemed to pay the two acolytes any mind as they meandered about the complex, though Kadan had a strong idea how he could find it. 'Hey, give me a second.' He spoke quietly, pushing out his senses, trying to find a dark presence near by, and was rewarded by several dark powers all localized in a singular place; as well as several that were very much roaming about the complex. 'Found it, come on.' Using his senses, Kadan had a compass for the pair, though navigating the dark and rather disturbing halls of this hellish place. Their reward for such an endeavor, was finding a rather impressive locked vault, the faint flicker of a datapad on to the side, as it seemed some sort of password was required to get into the vault, prompting a groan from Kadan. "Can't believe my luck...." He muttered, his hand reaching out and brushing against the door of the vault, unsure how to get in there. He glanced to Aayla, sure that she was probably ecstatic right now with this discovery.​

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They were running out of time.
Aayla Shan​

 

[Aayla Shan]

Ecstatic? Kadan was showing a great deal of humility in his assertation of her and the situation. She was Fethin' loving it. Talking was helping, though she would be quiet whenever they neared anyone else.

"Speak for yourself, one day I might be doing this stuff alone. I want to join the Shadows. Guess I honestly never considered it could be like."

She took a break talking then, looking at the true inside of the base they stood in...

"this..."

They were there though, and things had gone relatively smooth so far. She was confused as to why she felt so uneasy though. Oh wait, they were standing in the pit of a carnivore. Dead or not, it just didn't feel good. Not to mention the crushing presence of the Dark Side around them.. Something inside of her wanted to respond by allowing her light to shine brightly, but she knew it would be a death sentence. As such she bore the weight, and trudged along with him.

She was patient, following him even further into the depths of this enemy base, finally nodding as he noted he might have found his way. As she followed, something pulled her; a simple tug in the Force that caused her complete focus to fade from what they were doing, and another form watching them from the shadows; a warmth. She blinked a few times as the woman smiled at her, prompting her to pull back her hood just slightly; she looked like her, or at least wore her hair like her. Save for the woman's hair being black.

For a girl with no memory of her parents, it caused a lump in her throat as her brain tried to make some sort of link between what she was seeing, and feeling.

When Bright4 glanced back, Aayla would seem trapped in some reverie, staring intently at nothing with her emotions flaring... Dangerously, flaring in a place where others could easily sense emotions out of check.

"Mom.." She asked curiously, stepping towards the nothing, and away from Kadan. It didn't seem fake to her, it was as real as him, or any of their enemies that stalked the halls. And yet as her heart raced, that imagery faded revealing nothing but a fleshy cave wall. Leaving her confused, shivering and glancing about herself; as much as she did know, she knew nothing about what had just happened to her.

 

[Bright4]

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JACKPOT​

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To his relief, he found that Aayla seemed to be enjoying this whole ordeal, though he still felt responsible for putting her at risk.​

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As the pair were held up by the door for a time, though Kadan noticed as he went to speak with Aayla, she seemed distracted by something. Puzzled, the padawan extended a hand out towards her, seeing that she seemed to be lost for a moment Then he felt it. A flicker in the force. It wasn't just a single person, it was as if the very structure they were within had interacted with the force directly. Kadan's eyes went to the walls, his mind trying to work out just what the hell they were inside of, and figured it would be in everyone's best interest to get out of there.​

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Kadan reached out, his hand hovering over the panel, as if hoping to find the answer he needed upon it. His hand lingered for a moment, eyes shut in contemplation, as if trying to shift through the past of this door, and was suddenly struck with a vision. An armored hand reached towards him, the face of a badly disfigured man gazing through him, the figure's body concealed within an armored suit of some sort. Kadan craned his head to the side, catching a glimpse of what the man was doing, as his fingers moved to type in the code. It was a seven digit code, and the padawan burned the combination into his mind. Kadan was forced back out of his vision, his head snapping back to Aayla, as hos concern was washed away, in it's place a sense of ecstasy. "I got it!" Punching the code in, he was met with the keypad accepting the input.​

​

The vault door hissed as it slowly slid open, revealing the treasure trove that was a the Sith Lord's personal vault. The vault itself was no larger than a small Coruscant apartment, but the items it held were a sight to be hold. There was a self that was decorated with various weapons, a few lightsabers, beskads, and odd blaster weapons. Several trophies hung from the wall. Kadan recognized quite a few as being from Mandalore, one of which being the burned war banner of Clan Order, which hung proudly from the wall as if it was some great accomplishment. The true sight however, was the badly burned husk of armor that laid at the far end, put on a display as if it was an art exhibit. The thing he had come for however, was placed right beside it, the scarred and battered helmet of his mother, placed on a pedestal. The padawan stepped into the room, and felt as if he was submerged in ice water. The room itself was laden with dark power, and the source became obvious once Kadan glanced to his right. Several dark tablets had been set on a display case, their language unknown to the padawan, but he could only conclude they were Sith in nature. What jumped out to him especially though, was a dark red and black pyramid piece that rested separate from the tablets. He recognized it as being one of the force presences he had felt earlier, and for a moment his attention was briefly fixated upon it.​

​

He quickly reminded himself of why they had come here, not to take Sith relics, but to get something they had taken from him. He moved towards the mask, and reached for it. his hands grasped the cold metal, as memories of the past flickered about in the back of his mind like an old holofilm. But there was something else he found as well, half muttered words trickled in between the decade long memories, their meaning not known to the padawan however.​

​

"You'll never find him."​

​

"I don't need to find him, once I finish with you, he will come to me. We could use a proper family reunion after all."​

He recognized the first voice as that of his mother, yet the second voice was unknown to him. It sounded weak, as if spoken by an elderly man, his voice weak, but there was a malice to his voice that he found unnerving. Stepping back, Kadan took the mask, stowing it onto his belt, as he looked to Aayla, very much ready to get out of here. "I got what I came for, lets get out of here."

Unknown to the pair, a silent alarm was currently being tripped in the main security room by the removal of the mask, as the base security force was now coming to investigate what was going on within the Sith Lords vault.

Aayla Shan

 

[Aayla Shan]

"I got it!"

His brief, and baritone voice snapping her back to the reality of the situation. She calmed herself immediately, hands that were hugging at her own form, yearning for something would fall at her sides as she moved in his direction taking a longing glance back at the spot the figure had appeared in. She was so focused on it she hadn't noticed the ripple in the Force as Kadan had. Not that it mattered, it was the Dark Side teasing at them again, just like the last time. That was how she would relate it. Her parents were gunned down by Sith Slavers; they had given their lives, to give her a shot at one... She didn't even remember their names, much less their faces. It was a trick.

As such she followed her brother-in-arms onwards into the depths, feeling as he did the sudden barrage of the Dark-Side. It was thick here... Hell it felt as though it was concentrated in this room. She steered clear of the holocrons, and tablets; having done enough reading to know all it took was a touch, or to attempt manipulating one through the Force. Those things, especially ones resonating this heavily with the Dark Side could've bewitched them; And Aayla had no idea how to undo such a thing. As such, she kept the maximum possible amount of distance, making sure to observe everything within. As Kadan did his work, she quite literally felt as if her heart had been tugged on, causing her to gasp and snap her head to the left; sitting by itself. It was a yellow fragment of kyber, dimly lit; right behind it, was the same specter.

For a moment, she steeled herself, ready to denounce the apparition, but the warmth; it didn't just feel like the light... It felt like love to her. The very feeling of it embodied. And as such, she approached with tentative steps; little shuffles of the feet. When she got there, she raised her hands to the other, but was stopped by what felt like real hands taking her own. Guiding Aayla's hand to pick up the kyber fragment. When her hands took it, the figure turned a stark contrast of happy; suddenly a deathly serious look dotting her features.

"Run..." the older woman stated, just as Kadan called out it was time to go. She snapped her head to him, then back to the other... Though, they weren't there anymore, and she was left holding nothing but a fragment of kyber crystal; oddly enough, no longer was it dimly lit. Instead it was bright, resonating with... Something, something that seemed to mirror that specters intentions.

"Lets!"

She agreed, jogging to the corner of the row she was on and turning to follow behind him. On her way out however she noticed something curious. A box of thermal detonators amongst the weapons. She thought for a second, remembering what she had told Kadan earlier.

"Wait!"

She called out, glaring at him, then the Sith holocrons and tablets, still resonating their retched dark side energies. No doubt he would understand what she was up to. She went one at a time, giving each of the twelve grenades a thirty second timer, and turning to sprint out the vault with him. She would turn, pressing a button to begin letting the vault door close, than continue that mad sprint to safety.

Bright4

 

[Bright3]

.​

LEGACY​

​

The Crimson Dawn finished it's drop out of lightspeed, as the planet of Felucia came into view. The Darth stood, his mind having expanded to encompass the entirety of his bridge. He was at ease, as much as he could be given the nature of his torment. Though one thing caught his attention, his communications officer was speaking with someone from The Maw, his own stronghold. He listened for a moment, his body slowly turning in the direction of the poor communications officer, as his form loomed towards the console in question. The bridge went deathly still as the darth moved, as if knowing that they were about to witness something horrific.​

​

Levo had heard much of the conversation before he even arrived, which spared the officer for the time being, as the man was in the middle of turning around when he was met by the towering form of the darth. Levo felt the fear explode out of the man instantly, though he was not amused. In fact, he was very much angered. "M-My Lord someone's triggered an alarm within your-" The officer went silent, as Levo had already turned away from him, having heard everything he needed to know. His voice echoed across the bridge, rage boiling from within his cold exterior, and the room suddenly felt heavy for all within it. "Captain, full speed to The Maw. Prepare my strike team, and inform the local defense fleet to begin scanning for vessels around the planet." Levo didn't hear what the man had to say, knowing full well his orders would be carried out or the Crimson Dawn would need a new chain of command once he returned.​

​

It had taken Azula some time to try and get back at him.​

​

How nice of her to come to him this time, he'd have to make it worth her time.

Aayla Shan​

 

[Bright4]

.​

GET AWAY DRIVER​

​

Kadan wasn't sure what Aayla had been looking at, but perhaps this place was playing tricks on them. Either way, he wasn't about to take off without her. To his relief, she snapped to it quickly, and began to follow. He had just cleared the door when he heard her call out for him to wait, and turned to see her giving him her infamous 'Aayla' glare. A bit puzzled, he paused, crossing his arms until he caught her glancing at the Sith items within the vault. So, that was her aim. He kept watch by the vault, feeling nervousness build up as his senses told him something was wrong. Thankfully, Aayla finished her work, and the pair took off, seeking the way that they had come into this place to begin with. "You know that's going to blow any chance they haven't detected us by now, right?" He commented, knowing she'd try and argue with him over this.​

​

Immediately, the pair would feel something was off. There was much more movement around the base, a new energy was lingering in the air, and rather than the cold and distant feeling, there was an awareness to this place now that hadn't been there before. Someone knew they were here. Worse, they were coming for them. He could feel it, which meant Aayla could feel it as well. Up ahead, the pair ran into their first hurdle, a group of storm troopers moved towards them, weapons raised. "Hold it, hold it, show us some-" That was as far as they got, as the base shuddered from the explosives that had triggered, plunging the entire base into darkness, and causing the ground to tremble something fierce, knocking Kadan to the floor as everything went pitch black.​

​

The power for the base was off, and the padawan fell back onto his force abilities, keeping his senses up as he felt out the base. The turbolifts were down, but they were close enough to the vehicle bay, with two speeder bikes that had just been abandoned by their drivers, the emergency systems of the base forcing the usually sealed blast doors of the bay open; they had a straight shot to freedom now. Rising to his feet, Kadan knew where Aayla was, and began to move where he felt was the way out. "Aayla, this way!" He called, feeling the storm troopers they had narrowly avoided were in the midst of righting themselves.​

​

Ideally, the pair could get to the bikes and race out of the base before the real security showed up.​

​

Unknown to them, the real threat had yet to arrive.​

​

Aayla Shan​

 

[Aayla Shan]

Indeed, the place certainly didn't feel the same as it did when they walked in; but there was no indicator for her to go off of other than the gut feeling she felt with the Force. They had been found out, and it wasn't before the bombs went off. She thought about what they had went there to do, and where they had gone to do it. The answer was quite obvious...

"A silent ala-" The stormtroopers had popped out on them, seemingly waiting in ambush. As Aayla reached for her saber, she was briefly shunted by the sudden thud of energy in the depths. She felt his presence as well, along with the fact that the Stormtroopers ahead had perished, likely the ceiling above them had given out; something that would happen to them too if they didn't get out of there fast.

"I thought we could get back to the turbolifts in time, full disclosure" she mumbled in the dark, the screech-growl of her saber audible as blue illuminated the path. just ahead. Just as soon as she enjoyed that victory, she suddenly looked around panicked; suddenly crouching and brushing some dirt to pick up that Kyber crystal. Was she really dumb enough to have been holding it in her hand? She would open a pouch on her built, one of the crush resistant ones, and snap it shut before following Kadan with haste.

Indeed, her earlier thought about the Stormtroopers being dead wasn't entirely true, some were rousing; their senses being knocked out briefly causing her to lose sight. She would sprint behind him, spotting those speeders and not needing a instruction manual on what came next. She ran to the furthest one, and slid a leg over both hands used on the middle console to right herself briefly, before a right foot came down to slam on the igniter. Holding the throttle open, she glanced at him for a second, making sure he knew how to use the thing at least before gunning it... Hopefully, he knew how to use a speeder. If he did, it would be full speed from there; from this point on every second they spent on the planet was a lowered overall chance of escape. And there was no help coming.

Something was biting her though. Encroaching darkness, like a shadow that suddenly enveloped her form.

 

[Bright4]

.​

PEDAL TO THE METAL​

​

Aayla was suggesting they try the turbo lift, to which Kadan was about to protest, but seeing that the storm-troopers were closing in, it was time to go. Reaching the bay, he leapt onto the nearest speeder, and opened the throttle. It had been a bit since he had driven one of these things, but he knew how to handle it. Finding Aayla already revved up and rearing to go, Kadan took off, the 'whirl' of the speeder echoing through the bay, as several pot shots from the pursuing storm-troopers smashed against the walls.​

​

They needed to leave and now. As they breached the pit of the Sarlaac base, it seemed that things might get easier. The perimeter guards opened fire towards them, but the pair were moving too fast for the droids to get a good lock. Before they could relax however, the pair would be met with a rather disturbing sight. A Star Destroyer was breaching the sky, with a shuttle craft and flight escort seemingly en route towards the base. A pulse of cold flowed from the ship, as if a shroud was falling down upon them, and the padawan felt fear tear at his core. Something very bad was coming.​

​

They were in the home stretch, just a little more and they'd be clear out of there.​

​

'Whatever you do, don't stop.'​

​

Like he had to tell her twice.

Aayla Shan​

 

[Bright3]

.​

DARKNESS DESCENDS​

​

The bay of the shuttle craft was quiet, as the fury of the Sith Lord had paralyzed his soldiers with fear. He could sense the intruders now, the shuttle breaching the atmosphere, the pilots knowing they'd be better crashing the ship into the ground rather than risk slowing down. Levo's hands clenched tightly at his arms, feeling the presence of the two jedi down below, and they shifting beneath his feet like the insects they were. Yet, one of them felt...familiar somehow. They honestly thought they would be getting away this day. He would have to show them other wise. "Captain, have you discovered the sight of their vessel?" He asked, his voice still bearing with it the fiery tone, if the Captain valued his life, he would have the answer immediately. "N-No my lord, we, I, we believe there is a near by clearing they might be using, but we believe the ship is a stealth figh-" The sounds of gurgling flooded the comm, as Levo had made the decision then and there. He would need a new captain. after all it seemed. The jedi were going to get away if he didn't act now, and he wouldn't allow that to happen.​

​

Levo whirled about, slamming his fist into the bulkhead of the shuttle, giving it a light shake, as he left a rather impressive dent in the metal. "Drop the door, now." The command was simple, and the pilots, valued their lives, in spite of all the risks that came with the orders given. Having just reached into the lower atmosphere, the door dropped with little warning, and several of the troopers nearly were pulled out as the pressure seal broke. One unlucky soldier wasn't as fortunate, and was sucked right out. Levo didn't care. These men were just a formality. Once he had killed the pair, he would have them dispose of the bodies. For now, he would take care of this.​

​

Not missing a stride, he walked towards the ramp, ignoring the tug of the winds on his cape, his foot falls ringing loudly on the steel, but drowned out by the roar of the winds. Reaching the landing ramp, he leapt, the force powering his jump, as he left boot impressions in the steel. Levo went hurtling to the ground below, not caring about the shuttle craft as it continued it's planned landing route. Levo could feel the jedi moving beneath him, clearly using some sort of speeder, but they were both weaker than expected. Two knights perhaps? No masters? No Azula? Disappointing, but perhaps they could tell him where she was.​

​

He flew like a missile now, using the force to throw himself forward, air ripping about his body, as he was on a course to cut the pair off. They wouldn't escape. He wouldn't let them.​

​

As he neared the ground, he drew his power inward, and as he neared the ground, he let the power explode. A large force wave erupted forth from him, stopping the Darth several feet in the air, as he threw his power further, and further, seeking to slam his barrier against the pairs speeder bikes. Several of the strange trees from the world shattered, broken by the display of power, and leaving a scene of carnage in it's wake.​

​

When the power dissipated, he let himself drop, the Darth hitting the ground, saber ignited, his form bathed in the glow of the crimson blade. He pointed his blade towards the pair, hoping he had succeeded in at least slowing them down. "Jedi, you have made a grave mistake coming here." He spoke, his voice sounding raspy, and weak. Levo sucked in a breath, his eyes taking on a red hue, as he let his malice begin to spill forth.​

​

He heard the final gasps of the captain as the man was successfully strangled, leaving his comm in static as he waited the two jedi to make their move.​

​

He was just getting warmed up after all, no need to force things.​

Aayla Shan​